ESC CongressESC Congress21-24 September 201121-24 September 2011

Vilnius Vilnius

The Human Rights The Human Rights Perception in a Perception in a

sample of Studentssample of StudentsUniversity of Brescia – Italy & ACAT University of Brescia – Italy & ACAT

Italia Italia

(Action by Christians for the Abolition (Action by Christians for the Abolition of Torture)of Torture)

Luisa RavagnaniLuisa Ravagnani

Anna AntoniettiAnna Antonietti

Carlo Alberto RomanoCarlo Alberto Romano

Metodology of the Metodology of the research (1)research (1)

The University of Brescia in The University of Brescia in collaboration with ACAT Italia collaboration with ACAT Italia Association (Action by Christians for the Association (Action by Christians for the Abolition of Torture) is working on an Abolition of Torture) is working on an international project whose aim is the international project whose aim is the investigation of the students’awareness investigation of the students’awareness concerning fundamental Human Rights concerning fundamental Human Rights Topics such as the protection of Human Topics such as the protection of Human Rights themselves, the Death Penalty Rights themselves, the Death Penalty and the use of Tortureand the use of Torture

Methodology of the Methodology of the research (2)research (2)

Framework of the research: anonymous Framework of the research: anonymous questionnaire administered to High School questionnaire administered to High School Students and University Students, composed Students and University Students, composed by 31 questions divided in four groups.by 31 questions divided in four groups.

1)1) True/false questions: only one answer is the True/false questions: only one answer is the correct onecorrect one

2)2) ““It would be better if” questions (no wrong It would be better if” questions (no wrong answers but one is the desirable one)answers but one is the desirable one)

3)3) ““My sensibility questions”: show the sensibility of My sensibility questions”: show the sensibility of the interviewedthe interviewed

4)4) ““All correct” questions: show the cultural All correct” questions: show the cultural background of interviewed.background of interviewed.

Methodology of the Methodology of the Research (3)Research (3)

Main Target:Main Target:1)1) To interview the largest number of students in To interview the largest number of students in

each Country which has taken part in the each Country which has taken part in the research project to discover the level of their research project to discover the level of their correct knoweldge of those argumentscorrect knoweldge of those arguments

2)2) To define the role of education in the To define the role of education in the improvement of personal awareness of respect improvement of personal awareness of respect in regard of HRin regard of HR

3)3) To identify new approaches as well as useful To identify new approaches as well as useful and focused instruments to teach the HR law in and focused instruments to teach the HR law in each different type of involved schoolseach different type of involved schools

First Step: Pilot Analysis of the First Step: Pilot Analysis of the collected datacollected data

The authors compared two different The authors compared two different groups of datagroups of data

a)a) 41 questionnaires administered to 41 questionnaires administered to student of the 4° year of the High student of the 4° year of the High SchoolSchool

b)b) 35 questionnaires administered to 35 questionnaires administered to students of the 4° year of University students of the 4° year of University – Law Faculty– Law Faculty

Questionnaire analysisQuestionnaire analysis

In the following slides you can see the In the following slides you can see the most relevant outcomes for the most relevant outcomes for the topic:topic:

1) HUMAN RIGHTS1) HUMAN RIGHTS

HUMAN RIGHTSHUMAN RIGHTS DefinitionDefinition

Please choose the most appropriate Please choose the most appropriate definition for “Human Rights”:definition for “Human Rights”: – – Fundamental freedoms Fundamental freedoms

generally recognised to generally recognised to everybody, according to the UN everybody, according to the UN Universal declaration of Human Universal declaration of Human RightsRights

– – Natural rights, existing for Natural rights, existing for each person, with no differences each person, with no differences of gender, age, country…of gender, age, country…

– – The effect of a socio-cultural The effect of a socio-cultural elaboration, typical of the elaboration, typical of the Western worldWestern world

– – Rights based on national and Rights based on national and international legislationinternational legislation

0

20

40

Answ. 1

Answ. 2

Answ. 3

Answ. 4

Not Answ.

4

35

1 0 14

31

0 0 0

Human Rights Definitions

A.1 HS

A.1 Univ

The Knoweldge of the meaning of “HUMAN RIGHTS” appears to be the same in the two sample of student, a part for the HS students which chose A.3 and A.4

HUMAN RIGHTSHUMAN RIGHTS

HS students HS students are more aware are more aware about the about the historical historical context, that context, that doesn’t seem to doesn’t seem to be positively be positively influenced by influenced by age and higher age and higher level of level of education.education.

Question A.3Question A.3You think that the respect of You think that the respect of

Human Rights:Human Rights:– Is useful for a better relationship – Is useful for a better relationship between individuals and Countriesbetween individuals and Countries– Doesn’t influence daily life in a – Doesn’t influence daily life in a

strong waystrong way– Involves the responsibility of – Involves the responsibility of

each personeach person– Is the exclusive responsibility of – Is the exclusive responsibility of

the Statesthe States  

The answers show the existence of a good civic pride in both HS and University students. They are conscious that to live in a community implies responsibility

HUMAN RIGHTSHUMAN RIGHTS

HUMAN RIGHTSHUMAN RIGHTS

HS students have a HS students have a more pessimistic more pessimistic vision of the vision of the protection of HR in protection of HR in the world than the world than Univ. students. Univ. students.

HUMAN RIGHTSHUMAN RIGHTS

The majority of HS The majority of HS students think that students think that HR can be HR can be derogatedderogated

Almost the entirety Almost the entirety of Univ. students of Univ. students thinks there is no thinks there is no possibility to allow possibility to allow derogation to HR derogation to HR protection protection

HUMAN RIGHTSHUMAN RIGHTS

For both the For both the considered samples considered samples of students the HR of students the HR organizations play a organizations play a positive role in the positive role in the protection of HR protection of HR even if the number even if the number of students that of students that didn’t answer to the didn’t answer to the question: “Do you question: “Do you know some HR know some HR organizations?” was organizations?” was quite high. quite high.

HUMAN RIGHTSHUMAN RIGHTS

For both the For both the considered samples considered samples of students of students education/culture education/culture seems to play the seems to play the most important role most important role in the improvement in the improvement of the protection of of the protection of HR, folloewd by the HR, folloewd by the organization of organization of public events to public events to sensitize public sensitize public opinion.opinion.

HUMAN RIGHTSHUMAN RIGHTS

For both the considered For both the considered samples of students, samples of students, Mass Media don’t show Mass Media don’t show any kind of any kind of interest/respect in interest/respect in regard of HR. Moreover, regard of HR. Moreover, for the majority of Univ. for the majority of Univ. students (probably due students (probably due to a more cultivated to a more cultivated value judjment skills, value judjment skills, developed with years developed with years and study) they present and study) they present disrespectful images of disrespectful images of HRHR

2) DEATH PENALTY2) DEATH PENALTY

The Historical The Historical background is not background is not well steady in both well steady in both of the samples:of the samples:

The 51% of Univ The 51% of Univ students and the students and the 68% of the HS 68% of the HS students gave the students gave the wrong answer wrong answer

DEATH PENALTYDEATH PENALTY Only the 34% of Only the 34% of

Univ. student and Univ. student and the 29% of HS the 29% of HS students gave the students gave the correct answer.correct answer.

Could this outcome Could this outcome determine some determine some questions about the questions about the cultural background cultural background granted from the granted from the educational system? educational system?

DEATH PENALTYDEATH PENALTY Only the 17% of Univ. Only the 17% of Univ.

students and the 34% students and the 34% of HS students gave of HS students gave the correct answer.the correct answer.

The answer “Vatican” The answer “Vatican” represents a common represents a common stereotype that sees stereotype that sees the Church as the the Church as the main actor in the main actor in the protection of HRprotection of HR

Discussion about Death Discussion about Death PenaltyPenalty

The discussion about HR and DP is considered to be useful for the majority of the considered samples of students.19% of HS students consider the role of such discussion “indifferent” for their own life and the same 19% consider the discussion about DP usless because nobody change their mind.

DEATH PENALTY DEATH PENALTY Role of the Mass MediaRole of the Mass Media

The 80% of Univ. The 80% of Univ. students and the students and the 90% of HS 90% of HS students think that students think that Media talk about Media talk about DP only in special DP only in special occasionoccasion

3) TORTURE3) TORTURE

0%0% of Univ. of Univ. Students and Students and 7.3%7.3% of HS students of HS students gave the correct gave the correct answeranswer

TORTURETORTURE The 53.6%of HS The 53.6%of HS

student and the 31% student and the 31% of Univ student think of Univ student think that torture is used to that torture is used to let people talk (movie let people talk (movie culture)culture)

68% of Univ Students 68% of Univ Students and 36% of HS and 36% of HS students think that students think that torture is used to torture is used to reach psychological reach psychological supremacysupremacy

TORTURETORTURE

The 77% of Univ The 77% of Univ students thinks students thinks that the that the brohibition of brohibition of torture is torture is mandatorymandatory

Only the 43% of Only the 43% of HS students thinks HS students thinks the samethe same

TORTURETORTURE

The 88.5% of Univ The 88.5% of Univ Students and the Students and the 65% of HS 65% of HS students have been students have been influenced by the influenced by the the “war on terror” the “war on terror” perspectivesperspectives

TORTURETORTURE

The 100% of Univ The 100% of Univ students thinks students thinks that Psychic that Psychic consequences are consequences are the worst wounds the worst wounds of torture.of torture.

The 87.8 of HS The 87.8 of HS students thinks the students thinks the samesame

Thank you Thank you

luisaravagnani@libero.it